Scoring machine



Nov. 5, 1935. w. w. MAHER 2,019,499

SCORING MACHINE I I Filed Nov V23, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 5, 1935. w w MAHER 2,019,499

SCORING MACHINE Filed NOV. 23, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR V ATTORNEYS JAWW. I BY nu. 0.

Patented Nov. 5, 1935 NTED ST OFFlE SCORING MACHINE Application November 23, 1933, Serial No. 699,439

11 Claims. (01. 164-60) The present invention relates to scoring machines for impressing weakening lines in metallic surfaces and has particular reference to controlling the depth of cutting of the score lines in a blank of sheet material.

In the manufacture of tearing strip containers or cans, adapted to be opened by the removal of a portion of the body wall bounding the weakened or score lines, it is essential that such lines be cut to a reasonably uniform depth to insure proper and easy opening and such cutting must not be too deep or the can wall may break through and leak. In a tin can having a wall thickness of ten thousandths of an inch, for example, a satisfactory scoring depth has been found to be approximately one half of this thickness or five thousandths of an inch.

Tin plate, that is the sheet material used for the manufacture of cans, has a relatively wide range of thicknesses and has also hard and soft spots and spots of difierent temper in the sheet as it comes from the tin plate mills and not only does this variation exist as between different sheets but even in the same sheet. For example in ordinary runs of plate say ten one-thousandths of an inch average thickness there may be spots in a sheet here and there as thin as six onethousandths of an inch as well as hard and soft spots. This means a variation as to thickness of four one-thousandths of an inch which is considerable in the can making art and unless properly scored there will be a breaking through of the can wall at the thin spot where such a blank is made into a can.

Two systems of scoring have been employed one resulting in a uniform thickness of the metal left at the base of the score line, this scoring being usually done between scoring rollers having a fixed distance between axes. The other system produces a uniform depth of surface cut, this scoring being effected by a scoring roller gaging for cutting depth from one surface of the sheet.

In the example cited, i. e. of a sheet having a thin spot of six one-thousandths of an inch, were the fixed axis scoring method used with a thickness setting of five one-thousandths inch thickness at the base of the score line, then the thin spot would actually be out only one one-thousandth of an inch deep and the scoring at that place, not being deep enough would surely fail to properly open the can.

On the other hand, if a uniform cut five onethousandths of an inch deep were made in the thin spot the metal at the base of the score, weak- -ened to one one-thousandth of an inch, would surely give way during subsequent handling of the can.

The present invention contemplates utilization of an apparatus wherein a sheet, having both thick and/or thin spots, is properly scored so that 5 opening along the score line may be uniformly made and at the same time the stock is not weakened to the point where the scored sheet is impaired.

An object of the present invention is the pro- 10 vision of an apparatus for automatically producing a score cut in sheet material which is sufficient in depth of cut to weaken the wall of the sheet for tearing while preventing impairment of the necessary strength of the sheet. 15

Another object of the invention is the provision of devices for gaging the depth of score cut in a blank of sheet material so that there is never more than a given maximum depth gaged from one side of the sheet while leaving at all times 20 at least a minimum thickness of stock gaged from the opposite side of the sheet.

An object of the invention is the provision of a scoring apparatus having scoring rollers mounted for operation and gaged for cutting so that 25 a predetermined depth of score cut is made in all sections of a sheet being scored that are a minimum thickness or over and so that a lesser depth of score cut is made in those sections of the sheet less than the minimum thickness.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. 35 Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of -a scoring machine embodying the present invention, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine, parts 40 being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1; i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail of a scoring roller drive shaft connection being taken 4,5

a pair of rotating scoring rollers, geared together 55 and driven in unison. These rollers draw it in while cutting a pair of parallel score lines longitudinally of the blank.

One of the scoring rollers is carried in a bear- 5 ing block which is yieldably mounted in the frame of the machine and it is this roller that is con trolled to cut the score lines to give the maximum cut in the parts of the blank .that have a. normal.

thickness, but'to at no time cut too deeplyinto the thinner parts. The preferred form of such an apparatus come prises a main frame (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which supports a horizontal work table I2 extending 1aterally beyond the sides of the frame II. It is over this table that the workto'be scoredpasses:

An example of such work is herein shown as...

tally disposed and journaled-in bearings 24 formed; in a bearing block 25 which has an inclined 30. bottomsurface 26; The bearing block 25 with its roller is vertically adjustable .and for this :pur.-= pose. rests uponuan adjusting wedge block- 28' having an upper. inclined surface; This 'wedge block-rests upon a shelf 3| formed integrally; with 351 and extending forwardifromv the main frame and-is directly underthertable l2;

Both bearingblock 25 and-wedgeblock 28 are 1 locked imposition on theshelf 3| bya bolt 32 which is threadedlyengaged .:in' the upper block 4,0 25.

tegral part of the shelf 3 land these walls-confine the block 251against any sidewise'shifting.v

45 Longitudinalmovement ofvthe wedge-block28- (totheleft Fig. 1) raises the ifeeding roller'and its-.-

bearing-block. This movement-is made by azset screw 35 which is 'threadedly 1 mounted in :one of the vertical walls 34, theeend ,of. the .screwen"- 5 gaging the large .end of the-wedge :28; Whenthe:

screw-is backed :offrand the wedge block-moved to theright the: feeding roller-is lowered. Thescrew is locked in position by a nut 36:

Theshaft23 islooselyconnected with a drive 55; shaft and one endisrcut away in a-.tongue= 38' (Figs. 3 and 4) which engages within a slot -39 cutinto an enlarged end. of a. main driveshaft tion in vertical position of theashai't-23awithout g0, changing the position. of-the drive shaft-.42:

The shaft 42 is journaled in abearing-43.formed in. the main frame H and. isarotated in any suitable manner. Theenlargedhead 4| 'ofdthe drive shaft is locatedwithin a -recess 4t formeddnthe 5; bearing. Thedriveshaft 42 carriesagear 45.-

The rotatingfeeding roller I5, propelling the blank l3 across the table l2 and between-the guide rails l8, cooperates .with an :upper.v score :cutting roller '5 I. Roller 5| is-preferably. formed as an integral part of .a horizontal shaft-52. One end.

of this-horizontal shaft is journaled :inv a hearing. 53: formed in a bearing block- 5 and its other. end'is'journaled in a shouldered sleeve 55 which is heldstationary-in. thebearing block 54. The one end of the shaft-52 is rotatably-held This boltpasses through a clearance slotv 33 formed. in the wedge-block.- Vertical endwalls 34, (Fig; 1) extend up; fromand arean in Such afiexible connection permits varia-- within its bearing 53 by a bearing cap 55 and the sleeve 55 is held clamped in the block 54 by .a cap 51.

One end of the shaft 52, like the lower shaft 23, is provided with a tongue 58 which is adapted 5 to engage within a slot 59 out into an enlarged head 6| of a short shaft 62. The shaft 62 is journaledforrotation in. a. bearing 65 formed inthe main frame I and is secured against 1ongitudinal movement by the head 6| at one end, m which fits into a recess 66 formed in the frame I l, and by a gear 61 pinned to the shaft 62 at the other "end. This gear meshes with the gear on .the lower shaft 42.

In this'way the scoring roller 5| is revolved 15 from-the'shaft 42' and in unison with the feeding roller l5 and the tongue 58 and slot 59 forms a .flexible connectionbetween the shafts 52, 62 (Fig. 4).so.that the former may change its vertical position\ while remaining in driving connectionwith the shaft 62; Such a change of position permits control of the depth of cut in the :scorelines which will now be more fully-ex:- plained.

The bearing block 54 is of U-shape, having g5 vertical legs-or side members 68 (Fig. 1) which extend up alongside of the side walls of an overhangingframesection 69 (Fig. 3) which projects out from the front of the main frame I I directly over the table l2. Vertical grooves H are formed 30 in the sidewalls of'this frame section and hold thebearing block legs 68 against lateral displacement while permittingfree vertical sliding move-- ment.

The block adjacent the base of its legs 68 is 5 provided. with-.iour'vertical recesses I3 and a resilient rubber plug 14 is located in each recess. The upper ends of the plugs project out of their recesses and engage the under side of the stationary frame section 69. tend to force theblock 54 down and away from the frame part so thatthe scoring roller 5| carried inthe block is moved toward the lower feeding roller l5;

The amount of this-downward movement is limited by a stop plate 16 which is secured to and carried on theeupper ends of the bearing block legs-68 above the frame section 69. Cap screws 1! tie the-plate'and. the'block together in-a single unit.- The stop plate 16 is formed witha lower finished. partor boss 18 and 'thisrests :on a boss 'lflformed invthe top of the stationary frame sec-. hon-:69. when the apparatus is not operating on. a can body blank l3. In this limited, stop p0si---- tionthe ro1lers.|5-, 5| are held' out of-contact a certain distance which is the minimum distance allowed for a-depth of score. cut made on the? bodyblank as .will now be more fully explained The scoring roller 5| is providedwith-suitablescoring. diev surfaces arranged on its periphery, these. surfaces depending on thetype of.scorelines-it is intended to make. In making the. regular parallel line score as hereinshown, the scoring roller carries a pair. of annular knife edges 8|.whioh are larger in. diameter than the body of the roller. As a body blank I3 is fed into the: machine over the uppersurface of the. table I2 these scoring die knife-Hedges cutinto the upper surface of the blank as it isbacked' up onthe feed roller I5. 70 The rubber cushions 14 are sufficiently strong if allowed free action, to hold down the scoring roller 5| to cut a score line leaving/only arminimum thickness :of stock inthe basecfithescore groove as. gaged by the abuttlngbosses .18. 19 c These rubber plugs and this irrespective of the thickness of the out parts of the blank. To change this and prevent deep cutting when the thicker parts of the blank are scored provision is made for also gaging from the upper surface of the blank.

This gage device, as herein shown, may preferably take the form of a ball bearing unit (Figs. 1 and 3) mounted upon a shoulder 86 of the stationary sleeve 55. The outer or movable ring of this unit rides on the upper surface of the blank at those places where it is as thick or thicker than a given amount. The outer periphery of the scoring die knife edges 8| is greater than the diameter of the movable ring of the unit 85 and these two dimensions being fixed there is always a given distance a (Fig. 5), between the lowermost point of the scoring die and the lowermost point of the ring and blank engagement. This represents the maximum depth of cut possible for the scoring roller 5|, for as long as the gage ring rides on the blank the score cut equals the distance a.

The scoring roller 5| is formed with a flange 9| which is larger in diameter than the knife edges 8| and this flange extends below the latter and into the opening N5 of the table '|2. .The distance between the inner wall of the flange 9| and the knife edges 8| determines the location of the score lines in relation to the edge of the blank. The inner flange wall of the score cutting roller acts as a guide for the back edge of the blank l3 as the latter passes through the machine (Fi 3).

The front edge of the blank is engaged by a flange 92 of a guide disc 93 which is pinned to the front end of the feeding roller shaft 23 beyond the bearing block 24. The disc flange 92 projects up into the opening N3 of the table l2, thus locating the blank as to its lateral position by holding its rear edge against the roller flange 9| as has been mentioned. The rear guide rail l8 extends back and below the scoring roller 5| (Figs. 1 and 3) as at 95 and acts as a stripper for the blank preventing its sticking to the knife edges 8| of the scoring roller and thus preventing its lifting away from the table surface. Examples of different scoring conditions will now be given.

Fig. 5 illustrates the relation of a scoring roller 5| operating on an average section thickness of ten one-thousandths of an inch for example. The distance a is five one-thousandths of an inch so with the bearing ring 85 engaging the upper surface of the blank a score cut of five onethousandths of an inch in depth is being made.

It will be remembered that the rubber cushions i i are holding the knife edges 8| into the work. As also shown in this figure there is a clearance space between the bosses 18, 19 of the stop plate 18 and the frame section 69. At such a time the maximum depth cut gage (bearing ring 85) is in operation, but the minimum thickness gage for the minimum amount of stock at the base of the score is not operating. If a thicker section of the blank were encountered by the roller the clearance space between the bosses 18,19 would only be increased and the same depth of surface cut made.

Fig. 6 illustrates a section thickness being scored of say eight one-thousandths of an inch. Since the bearing ring 85 still rests on the upper surface of the blank the depth of cut is still five one-thousandths of an inch from the upper surface. There is left at the base of the score out three one-thousandths of an inch which we will assume is the minimum thickness of stock to be left in the base of the score. The boss I8, therefore, has just engaged the boss 19 and the scoring roller 5| cannot cut any deeper.

Fig. '7 shows an extremely thin spot in the blank 5 l3 being, for example, six one-thousandths of an inch thick. Conditions are now reversed from those obtaining in the first example. The surface depth (maximum gage) is of no use while the minimum thickness control is governing the 10 j.

operation. The bosses I8, 19 are now engaged so that the scoring roller is held against too low a cutting position and the minimum thickness of three one-thousandths of an inch obtains in the metal at the base of the score. The bearing ring 15 85 is now held above the 'upper surface of the blank this time a distance of two one-thousandths of an inch and the actual depth of surface cut is, therefore, three one-thousandths of an inch.

Any of the scores in the three different cases 30 citedis the proper score and will allow for a correct opening of the can when the scored area is removed. Since the can is not weakened beyond a safe point there will be no danger of a breaking through of the can wall and no leaky 25,.

can. In this way a new result is obtained and the usefulness of the apparatus is extended to operate on a wider variation of blank conditions.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages willbe understood from 80'' the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advanll tages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a scoring machine the combination of, cooperating rollers adapted to perform a scor- 0 ing operation upon a blank of sheet material positioned therebetween, means for rotating said rollers, and means associated with a said roller for gaging the depth of score cut, from both surfaces of said blank. 5

2. In a scoring machine the combination of, cooperating rollers having respectively knife edged and smooth surfaces adapted to perform a scoring operation upon a blank of sheet material positioned therebetween, means for rotating 50 said rollers, and gaging means associated with said knife edged roller to efiect a variable depth of more out depending upon the thickness of said blank at the point of scoring.

3. In a scoring machine the combination of, 65 cooperating rollers having respectively knife edged and smooth surfaces adapted to perform a scoring operation upon a blank of sheet material positioned therebetween, means for rotating said rollers, and means associated with a said roller for gaging the depth of score cut, from one or the other of the surfaces of said blank to insure sufiicient depth of score out while maintaining a suificient thickness of stock at the base of said cut. V as 4. In a scoring machine the combination of, cooperating rollers for producing score cuts in a blank of sheet material positioned therebetween, means for rotating said rollers, and gag- 7o ing means associated with a said roller for gaging the depth of said score cuts so that a predetermined depth of cut is made in all sections of said blank of a predetermined minimum thickness or over and a lesser depth of cut in those 75 SGCtiOllSgOfg saidblankgwhichare l, less than: the;

minimum, thickness.

5. Ina scoring machine thmcombinationof;

cooperating rollers; for .producing score. cuts-in at 5 blank of sheet material positioned, therebetween, means for-rotating said rollers,.and; gaging means associated with a said rollerfor-gagingthe depth of said score cuts so that there is :never more than a given maximum depth gaged :from: one side of said blank while leaving at allitimes-at least aminimumthickness of stocks gaged from the op-- posite side of said blanks 6. In ascoring machine the combinatlonof. a frame, rotating; cooperating rollers z-carried by said frameand'adaptedito performs. scoring op-.-

eration upon a blank of sheet material positioned therebetweem a slide'mountedjupon said frame and providing support for a said roller, yieldable members interposed. between said frame and said g slide for holding; the latter in position to cause said roller to produceaiscorecut in said blank, and gaging means associated with saidslide and with said frame for gaging the depth of said score. .cut to insure a suflicient depth of out while main-t taining a sufficient thickness of stock at the base 4.0. out is made in all sectionsrof said blank of a predetermined minimum thickness or over.

8..Ina..scoring machine the combination of, a frame, cooperating rollers carried by said frame and adapted to perform a scoring'operation upon 6.. a blank of sheet material positioned therebetween, meansior rotating: said rollers, aslide mounted upon said frame and providing a support :for a saidxroller; yieldablezmembers.interposed between said frame and said slide to cause saidroller to produce a score cut in said blank, gaging means associated with said slide and en-,-

gaging withsaid frame forgaging the depth of 5 said score cut-to insure a sufiicient depth of out while maintaining a sufiicient thickness of stock at the base of saidcut, and other gaging means carried by said roller and having engagement with said blank forgaging the depth of said score 10;.

cut so that a predetermined depth of cut is made in all sections of said blank which are of 8.1)1'89 determined minimum thickness or over.

9. In a .scoring machine the combination 1 of,

cooperating rollers for performing a .scoring-opl5;

eration along predetermined lines upona blank of sheet material positioned therebetween, means for rotating said rollers, means cooperating with one of said .rollers for controlling the depth of score cut in said blank, and guiding means con- 20..

stituting a part of one of said rollers for locating and guiding said blank along said predetermined lines as it passes between said rollers.

10. In a scoring machine the combination of,

cooperating rollers for performing a scoring op- 2a eration along predetermined lines upon a blank of sheet material positioned therebetween, means for rotating said rollers, means cooperating with one of said rollers for controlling the depth of score cut in said blank, and guiding means con- 'stituting an integral part of a said roller for 10- cating and guiding said blank along said predetermined lines as it passes between said rollers.

11. In a scoring machine the combination of,

a feeding roller, a scoring roller adapted to perform a scoring operation along predetermined lines upon a blank of sheet material positioned between said feeding roller and said scoring roller, means cooperating with one of said rollers for controlling the depth of score cut in said blank, (.0:

guiding means constituting a part of one of said rollers for guiding said blank along said predetermined lines during its passage between said rollers, and a stripper plate for maintaining said blank in a straight pathof travel during and 45.;-

after the scoring operation.

WILLIAM W. MAHER. 

